Through the Fog, parts 1-3

[ladydrace]

I thought it was about time I started posting my never ending X-men story. At 50 pages it's starting to wear me out, but I have high hopes of finishing it sometime this year. Bear in mind that this fic is one of the first true fanfics I ever wrote and without comparison the longest thing I've ever written. Also it's un-beta'd and probably full of faults, so I have a notion of coming back to it once it's finished (and I've had a good long break from it) and go over it again to fix whatever I don't like. But for now, here are the first chapters for your reading pleasure.

Crossposted to toddkurtslash  

Title: Through The Fog
Series: X-Men Evolution
Pairings: Nightcrawler/Toad
Part: 1-3/19
Rating: Various ratings across chapters.
Warnings: Future fic.
Beta: None on this story. I take full responsibility for any and all errors.
Feedback: Yes please.
Disclaimer: I don't own any prehensile goodies, green or blue. Damn it all.
Summary: Todd gets an unexpected visit from his past after 10 years, and the war moves in again.

 

 

Chapter 1

Todd Tolensky leaned heavily on the rusted fence at the dark construction site, taking a very deep drag off his cigarette. It had been a hellish long day. Even his mutant strong legs and arms were aching, so he could barely imagine what this day must have been like for his human co-workers. Thank God it was holiday time now. Not that he had any particular plans. He had nobody in his life in any way. It was probably just gonna be himself, booze and the TV for the next week.

He found himself thinking back to his years with the Brotherhood. As rough as they had been, they had at least been people you could sometimes have a laugh with, watch a movie with or something. But then he remembered how they had all turned on him, when they for some odd reason suddenly decided he was no more than an annoyance and unceremoniously kicked him from the team.

He remembered how he had thought it was one of their usual trips about him, and he slept in the back yard for weeks, before he finally realized that this time it was for real, and they were never going to let him back in. The final stroke was when Pyro moved into his room and started throwing any stuff left in there out of the window. Not that Todd needed any of it. It was just crap mostly, but it was sorta the final blow. He had turned around and left, finally realizing that there were truly nobody in the world you could trust.

His cigarette was almost reduced to ashes, but he simply lit another one with the first, and slowly made his way home to his small apartment. This job was crap, but the pay was ok, and his boss were one of the few people he had met over the years, who hadn't given a rat's fart if he was a mutant, as long as he worked hard and didn't complain.

And Todd had to admit to himself there was a certain pride in receiving his first honestly earned paycheck and finally signing the lease on his own, personal dump. And the hard physical labour had changed his body in a way he found rather shocking the first time he noticed the change. His already powerful legs felt like steel now and even his pathetic torso was now tightly wound in hard, flat muscle.

For the first time in his life, twenty five years old, he was the guy nobody wanted to fuck with. Not exactly feared, but certainly regarded as more of a challenge for potential muggers and anti-mutant idiots, who needed someone to kick around to bolster their own egos. A far cry from the ugly, skinny kid, making his living any way he could, expecting to meet his end any minute. And at least he now always had a roof over his head and food to eat. In his opinion a very overlooked privilege in general.

As he slowly dragged himself home, he suddenly got that feeling again. It had been there a few times over the last week. That feeling that he was being watched or followed. But no matter how much he looked around he never saw anyone. But damn, the sensation was powerful now. He could literally feel the small hairs at the back of his neck tingle under his long ponytail. He considered his options. He was tired, but strong. And if this person wasn't aware of his mutant abilities, which he usually kept quiet about unless he had to, he might have a chance to outwit him.

He stopped outside an alley and glanced down it. In here was the back entrance to a less than savory club, and he made his way towards it, acting like he was going inside. After a quick check behind and above him, he crouched and propelled himself straight up with his powerful legs. On the third floor, he latched onto the fire escape ladder and propelled himself upwards again as soon as he regained his footing. He reached the roof in seconds and carefully peeked down into the alley, keeping low to avoid being seen.

Sure enough, after half a minute or so, a dark figure came into view. Crawling on the opposite wall of the alley, jumping from window ledge to window ledge, this was obviously another mutant. What did the mutant want with him? There was something oddly familiar about the figure, but Todd couldn't quite place it. He let himself slide down and sat on the roof, out of sight while deciding on his next move. Another peek revealed that the mutant had somehow discovered that he hadn't gone inside and was now turning it's head this way and that, trying to figure out where he had gone.

Todd heard the slight clang when the figure landed on the fire ladder a few stories below and as quietly as possible climbed upwards. He could feel the metal behind him creak slightly, meaning that the mutant was climbing that ladder. Todd got ready. He couldn't have planned this better himself. As soon as he saw the shadow on the roof as the mutant emerged over the edge, he reached up, took hold of the shoulders of his pursuer and ripped him over the edge of the roof. The force of the pull sent the mutant into a flip and it landed on it's back a few feet away.

Todd had jumped the second he had thrown and landed with a crash right where the mutant had been the blink of an eye earlier. Now there was only thin air and he suddenly smelled something awfully familiar. What was it? The thought distracted him for just enough time for something to land on his back, smashing his face onto the rooftop, and try to get him in a headlock. Years of fighting dirty had taught Todd a few things though and with a pained yelp from the mutant, he grabbed it by the hair and pulled, until he felt the grip loosen.

He locked his hands around the wrists of the other and with amazing speed flipped over, straddled his attacker and locked his legs around the other's knees, forcefully holding him in place. Then a pair of gleaming yellow eyes opened in the dark face of the figure right beneath him and he gasped when he suddenly recognized the mutant.

“What the hell... Fuzzy?!”

Kurt Wagner blinked up at him and coughed once in the cloud of dust their scuffle had raised.

“Gutenabend. Missed me?”

Todd let go of Kurt, jumped to his feet and turned his back to him while wiping his bleeding nose. He heard Kurt groan as he got to his feet and brushed off the rubble.

“Verdammt. I think I'm gonna need stitches.”

Todd sat down by the edge of the roof opposite the ladder and lit himself another cigarette.

“Serves you right, fool. What the hell do you think you're doin'? Stalkin' me or somethin'?

Kurt sat down gingerly next to his old nemesis and blinked his glowing eyes a few times.

“Sorry Tolensky. I vasn't allowed to contact you yet. It vas not my idea to stalk you like this.”

Todd felt his anger boiling. What the hell was going on?

“Then whose bright idea was it?”

Kurt shrugged, looking slightly uncomfortable.

“Vell... it vas Scott's. I tried to talk him out of it, but he vanted to make sure you vere on your own before ve contacted you.”

Todd pinched his still bleeding nose and winced at the pain.

“Right. That sounds like ol' Summers. Suspicious prick.”

When the blood flow stopped, Todd finally looked at Kurt, something occurring to him.

“Yo, who exactly was I s'posed to be with, since you wanna know if I'm alone?”

Kurt looked very serious.

“Magneto. He's been recruiting all the mutants he can find to his cause. He's prepairing for var.“

Todd barked out a dry laugh, reduced the last of his cigarette to ask and flicked it away.

“What else is new.”

Kurt's voice was urgent.

“Nein, you don't understand. He's gathering forces more than ever. This past year, he has been either recruiting or killing any mutants he could find. The Professor has been vorking hard to varn as many mutants as he could to go into hiding or join us.”

Todd lifted an eyebrow and gave Kurt a suspicious look.

“So what's that gotta do with me? Since when has Baldie cared about what happens to me?”

Kurt paused, but then a determined look settled on his face.

“Scott vill be pissed at me for telling you, but... the Professor had hoped you vould be villing to join our cause. Your povers and your inside knowledge on the Brotherhood vould be a great asset to us.”

Todd nodded with a bitter smile.

“I should'a known.

Kurt gave him a sad look.

“You could have come to us you know. Vhen the Brotherhood threw you out.”

Todd coughed out a harsh laugh.

“Yeah, right. That would'a brought down the house. I would'a done it just to see Summers get his panties in a twist. But I've been down that road once. No joy. And what's the point anyway? We're all gonna die in this war when it comes. No matter if we're in it or not.”

He got up and walked towards the ladder. Halfway across the roof, he turned around and looked back at Kurt.

“Go home Fuzzy. I can't offer you anythin'.

In a flash Kurt teleported and appeared in front of Todd, his fists balled up with anger.

“Verdammt Toad! I knew you vere a spineless vorm, but I never knew you vould be this stupid!"

Todd bared his teeth at his furry counterpart.

“What's it to you, fuzz face?! I don't give a fuck 'bout this stupid war! I just wanna be left the hell alone, but I guess that's too much to ask for!”

He pushed Kurt hard in the chest and edged past him. Kurt was right behind him though, all the way across the roof, where Todd stomped his way to the edge.

“You just don't get it do you? This is beyond all of us! If ve don't take a stand now, Magneto vill vin and ve vill all be dead! And not just us! The humans! Anybody you've ever known vill be either vith Magneto or dead if ve don't do something!”

Todd snarled over his shoulder without turning around.

“And I'm s'posed to care? I never met anybody worth savin', includin' myself!”

With that, he crouched and jumped out into the air and hit the pavement with a heavy thud several stories down a moment later. Kurt watched him stomp off and sighed heavily. After looking over the rooftops for a moment, he clenched his jaw in determination and vanished in a puff of smoke.

<<<<<<<<<<

 

 

Chapter 2

As Todd unlocked the door to his place, he knew before he was even inside, that his old furry enemy wasn't going to leave him alone. So he wasn't the least bit surprised when he saw Kurt sitting cross-legged on his rickety couch in the dark with his hands in his lap. He flicked on the one grimy, light-bulb he had and enjoyed a little savage pleasure from the pained way Kurt blinked his sensitive eyes, before greeting his guest in a sarcastic mumble.

“Well do come on in. Make yourself at home.”

Grabbing himself a beer from his rusty fridge and lighting a fresh cigarette, he plopped down on his worn out and squeaky, but very comfortable armchair and shook his long bangs out of his face. For a while Kurt and Todd simply stared at each other with malice and when Kurt finally averted his eyes, Todd felt he at least had the advantage of home ground now.

“So... any special reason Baldie and Summers didn't just send me a letter and ask me to join 'em? Would'a been a lot easier and it only costs a freakin' stamp.”

Kurt's face was a mix of several different emotions flashing across his features as he looked at Todd again.

“The Professor has alvays preferred direct contact. And... I volunteered for this you know.”

Todd's voice was laced with that bitter humor again.

“Why? You need your ass kicked again? Couldn't find a new punchin' bag? What?!”

“Nein. I vas vorried about you.”

Todd huffed and took a swig of his beer.

“Gimme a break fuzz face. Don't pretend we were ever friends or anythin'. I might be stupid, but my memory's fine. Last time I saw you, was when you ran back to the other geeks after leavin' me in the gutter to die. We never laid eyes on each other without kickin' each other's ass!”

Kurt looked slightly uncomfortable.

“I vill not try to defend vhat I did. Ve vere both equally guilty in those fights. But I vill say that I never meant to hurt you so badly that time... and besides, who do you think called the ambulance for you?”

Todd choked on his beer.

“YOU sent those assholes?!”

Kurt flared up.

“Those 'assholes' saved your life!”

Todd slammed down his beer on his coffee table so hard some of the contents shot out of the top.

“Don't act like they were some kind of saints! They hated my mutant ass, and only patched me up enough to kick me back out on the street! And for what?! They only postponed the inevitable...”

Kurt crossed his arms and looked drained. His voice was small and resigned.

“So you're just gonna sit here until Magneto or some other maniac comes for you and kills you just like that? Snuffs out your life like a candle and valks off for the next one? You're not even gonna put up a fight for your own life?”

Todd huffed again, but this time he had leaned his head on his hand, while letting his gaze wander out the window, the lights of the city reflecting in his large, liquid eyes. When he spoke it was like he spoke to himself. Like he had forgotten Kurt was even there.

“They ain't just gonna snuff out The Toad. Any sucker comin' here lookin' for a fight might find more than he bargained for.”

“... I hope you're right. I really do.”

Kurt's soft voice woke up Todd from his stupor and he blinked in surprise at the sincerity he heard in it.

“What you talkin' 'bout Fuzzy? What do you care if I live or die? What have I ever done for you? Or anybody else for that matter.”

Kurt's voice and gaze was steady and Todd felt slightly shaken at the way Kurt's yellow eyes burned into his own.

“You vere there. I didn't know it then, but you vere alvays there vhen I needed somevhere to take my anger and frustration. Someone who felt the same. A freak... like myself. Vhen life vas cruel, I vould go to you and fight it out. And you did the same. I know you did.”

Todd sat frozen in his chair, horrified, Kurt's knowing eyes still searing into his, hurling him into a revival of memories he had never liked. The memory of all the times where meaningless fighting had been the answer. Where the feeling of one's fists sinking into the soft gut of someone else could drain out so much anguish. Where the pain of one's own bruises could block out the pain of so much harder things.

A creaking sound woke him from his painful thoughts and he realized he had dug his hands so forcefully into the armrests of the chair, that the fabric was torn and his fingers had made deep holes in the firm stuffing and were now squeezing the wooden frame. He forced himself to relax and felt a drop of sweat make it's way down the collar of his filthy sweat shirt, reminding him that he was still in his work clothes and had dried up blood all over his face and his shirt.

He got up so fast that Kurt jumped a little. Without ceremony, Todd began to rid himself of his filthy clothes until the was down to his boxers and turned to his small but functional bathroom. He noticed Kurt looking intently at him and suddenly felt embarrassed at the hundreds of scars scattered all over his greenish body as a map of his hard life. He avoided looking at the yellow eyes scanning him and cleared his throat to break up the tension.

“Uh... I'm just gonna take a shower. Grab a beer or somethin' if you want...”

He closed the bathroom door behind him and a minute later Kurt heard the shower going. 

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

Chapter 3

When Todd came out, he felt a little better. Drained, but slightly more alert and capable of this bizarre confrontation Fuzzy was so eager to have with him. Even though his experience screamed at him that it was all a lie and that it was completely pointless anyway, he had to admit to himself he was curious now. And it was a very different, but somehow also comforting thing to have someone else around. Even if it was someone he had previously only regarded with loathing at best.

And come to think of it, he couldn't actually remember what it was that had made them so passionate in their hatred of each other. Yes, they belonged to different sides of the battle then, but somehow they had been drawn to each other, lashing out the second they first met as much as they possibly could for no apparent reason.

Kurt had moved from the couch to the open door by the fire escape, where he sat on the floor behind the low grating, enjoying the light breeze and looking out at the city. Thinking back to the last time he had seen him, Todd suddenly noticed that he wasn't the only one who had changed. Kurt had cut his hair very short and only a hint of his vainly groomed bangs were left, arching on the sides of his forehead. He was still furry, but he seemed rougher, more rugged and thinner. His brow was always furrowed tight and he looked spent and tired.

Once Todd had gotten into a t-shirt and some sweat pants, he pulled his single kitchen chair over to Kurt, lit a cigarette and for some time the two old enemies just sat looking out on the city, each lost in their own thoughts. Kurt was the first to break the silence.

“So, you're actually shovering on a regular basis now?”

Todd couldn't help it and a crooked smile appeared on his face.

“Yeah well my boss said when he hired me that he'd fire my sorry ass if I ever showed up smellin' that bad again. And havin' a steady paycheck helps when you need expensive crap soap to stop your freakin' mutant skin from actin' like you're bathin' in acid.”

Kurt raised his eyebrows.

“I never knew.”

Todd grinned and took a deep drag of his cigarette.

“Naw, you wouldn't. I never really told people. It was just easier bein' a slimeball. B'sides I never saw the need for much bathin' with the people I hung out with. It didn't seem like a big deal really.”

Seeing Kurt's perplexed look, he coughed out a little laugh, and eventually a smile appeared on his furry face.

“Hey Fuzzy, you want a smoke?”

He expected Kurt to refuse, but to his surprise Kurt nodded after a moment.

“Sure, thanks.”

After lighting the cigarette for him and watching him take a first slow drag, Todd had to ask.

“Well, this is kind of a new thing ain't it? I seem to recall you were a real boyscout at school.”

Kurt grimaced at the sharp taste of the cheap cigarettes and sent Todd a mirthless smile.

“I had novhere else to go then, so I had to behave myself. I don't need to as much anymore. Besides, it helps vith the nerves.”

Todd's hand stopped on it's way to his mouth with his own cigarette, and he he sent Kurt a surprised look.

“Nerves? What's to be nervous about now?”

Kurt took his time and didn't answer before he'd taken several more drags. Finally he looked at Todd and again his eyes were again burning with the sincerity that made Todd down right uncomfortable.

“I'm nervous about you. About being here. There's so much at stake. So much is riding on vhether you join us or not.”

Todd's mouth fell open.

“Aw come on... it can't be that important. There's gotta be other mutants who know more about the Brotherhood than me. I mean they never told me anythin' much.”

Kurt's voice lowered and he looked away from Todd.

“There might have been. But not anymore. They're all gone. Dead.”

Todd felt his stomach turn to led.

“Who's left?”

Kurt sighed and fiddled with his cigarette.

“Lance and Pietro joined Magneto for good. Ve'd expected that. Vanda too, but ve suspect he did something to her mind again. Tabetha is dead. And also... Freddy.”

Todd felt his head spin. Freddy had been the only one who was ever kind to him. If he hadn't joined forces with the others when they kicked him out, he would have called him a friend. Todd's voice trembled as he spoke again.

“Who got 'im?”

“Ve don't know. But ve do know it took several mutants to do it and he took three of them vith him”

Todd sat frozen for a minute. Then he got up and retrieved what was left of his beer and came back to Kurt. He made a small upwards flick with the bottle in a kind of toast, before downing the rest of it.

“Well here's to ya Freddy. Way to go.”

Kurt's voice revealed clearly how much sad desperation he was feeling now.

“Do you see now? Ve are running out of options. Ve need all the help ve can get. You know more about the powers and veaknesses of the last Brotherhood mutants than anyone left alive. Ve need you. If you don't join us ve have even less chance of finding a vay to defeat Magneto and his army.”

Kurt shook his head in wonder.

“In fact, I'm surprised they haven't come for you yet.”

Todd sat for a while thinking things over. There had been that one guy a few weeks ago...

“I think maybe they have. At least jus' to see if I was interested. This weirdo came up to me a few weeks ago and asked me if I wanted to come work for a mutant organisation. He never said anythin' 'bout Magneto, but he... I dunno... he freaked me out.”

Kurt's eyes were suddenly narrow and suspicious.

“How? And vhat did you say to him?”

Todd frowned at Kurt's expression and sat up straighter in his seat.

“Chill out ok? He was just weird. Looked normal enough, but he made my skin crawl. B'sides, I told him I'd think about it. Somehow I got the feelin' that tellin' him to stuff it wasn't the best idea.”

Kurt relaxed visibly.

“Vell it might just have saved your life. Have you seen him since?”

Todd shook his head.

“Naw. But as far as I know he could be stalkin' me right now like you did.”

Kurt finished his cigarette and flicked it out the open door.

“I doubt that. First of all, I think I vould have noticed. And secondly, it's not the vay Magneto vorks. Not anymore. These days he only kills and recruits. He doesn't manipulate anymore.”

Todd sat in stunned silence for a minute.

“Wow... things really have changed.”

Kurt smirked at him.

“So have you.”

Todd snorted.

“Yeah right. Instead of bein' a puny, little slimeball, I'm now a stronger, larger slimeball, with better hygiene.”

“Nein, I mean... you have more confidence. Not that false confidence you had back then. It's like you trust yourself more.”

Todd shrugged.

“Can't trust anyone else.”

Kurt caught his eye again.

“Ve could try and earn your trust. If you join us, I'm sure there must be something ve can do to convince you that ve are trustvorthy.”

Todd looked down and scratched the label on his empty beer bottle.

“Look, it ain't gonna work. You're gonna start out nice and all that, but I know that once you get what you want, I'm out in the cold again. It's always been like that. And some things never change.”

“I'll give you my vord of honor that that von't happen.”

Todd snorted.

“What good are words? Never did me no good, that's for sure.”

“Vhat can I do to make you belive me?”

“Nothin' you can do Fuzzy. Your famous word of honor ain't gonna stop the world from spinnin' like it's always done. And you and me are just tiny little farts in the big picture.”

The silence fell heavy and cold between them and for the longest time the only sound was that of Todd lighting his endless line of cigarettes. Kurt shook his head when Todd offered him another and they were both deep in thought.

Eventually Todd felt the effects of his hard day and went to his fold-in bed.

“Crash here if you like. Couch is crap, but it's better than the floor.”

“Vielen Danke.”

He threw the top cover from his bed to the couch and let himself collaps on the bed. He felt all his joints pop at being unfolded completely and shifted uneasily for a while. Kurt closed the door, turned off the light and quietly went and sat down on the couch. After sitting cross-legged for a while in the dark, he laid down carefully and pulled the blanket halfway over himself. Todd could hear he wasn't sleeping and figured he was just as distracted as he was himself.

His mind was buzzing with the day's events, and he laid wide awake for hours. Sometime close to sunrise, he finally heard Kurt snoring quietly. He grinned. So Fuzzy snored. Had the situation not been so desperate, he would have had a good laugh about it when he woke up. But as things were right now, there wasn't much room for fun. And at that moment it dawned on him that the war had found him. Maybe not the way he had expected, but it was here as surely as the sunlight creeping through the window.

With Kurt's appearance the war had closed it's grip around him, and he was now forced to take action somehow. He was not going to join Magneto, that much he knew. But he didn't believe the naïve ideals of the X-men either. He felt trapped and forced out of his quiet indifference to anything not concerning him. But now the war did concern him. It had been so easy for Xavier to have him followed, so he could only assume that Magneto would very soon know about his visit from Kurt and assume that Toad wasn't going to fight for him.

That could only mean one thing. Death was coming. Like they had come for Freddy, they would come for him. Fast and strong, and he had only himself to turn to... or... He shuddered at the thought of fighting along with those suckers, kissing Xavier's handicapped ass. But what were his other options? Hiding? Well he could try, but knowing what kind of people Magneto had at his disposal, it would probably only be a matter of time anyway.

When the sun's quivering orb rose above his windowsill, he was up, sitting with a cigarette at the open fire escape door again. His heavy jaw was set and he had resumed his old position of crouching on the floor, resting his elbows on his knees. His hair was back in it's long ponytail and the shadows under his eyes were very dark after his long sleepless night. All in all he felt defeated, but still, he was accepting the turn of events relatively calm and relaxed. And he knew what to do now. Having a plan helped.

He heard Kurt getting off the couch and slowly coming to him. He turned the kitchen chair around and sat on it backwards, flicking his spaded tail nervously. Todd felt him watching him, but refused to meet his yellow eyes. Instead he spoke quietly to the air in front of him.

“I'm comin' back with you Fuzzy. I ain't joinin' you, but I'll give you any info you need and I'll give you a week of my time. I can't promise anythin', but I'm willin' to do this in return for a little help keepin' my mutant ass hidden from Magneto.”

Kurt's face lit up in a smile, but a sharp look from Todd sobered him and reminded him that it was by no means a success yet. But he still sighed with relief and made no attempt to hide the emotion in his voice.

“You have my gratitude. And The Professor's. Any help is vital these days.”

Todd turned away his eyes again, feeling it was all becoming too damn emotional. So instead he turned to the practical needs of the day.

“Got your inducer thingy with ya, so we can leave today?”

Kurt flicked on the device on his wrist and Todd's eyes widened immensely before he snorted out a choked grin.

“Jeez Fuzzy... that's a new look for you!”

The man in front of him was certainly nothing like the merry teenager he remembered from the earlier inducer image. Short, sleeked black hair and a small trimmed mustache on the face of a rather brusk looking guy, who in Todd's opinion looked absolutely nothing like the real Kurt. The teenage image had at least imitated his own look to some degree, but this was someone completely different.

Kurt smiled and brushed some invisible fluff off his induced shirt and jeans.

“Vell I kinda like it. Besides I rarely use it anymore. I don't need to be in public much these days. Most of my vork is concerned other mutants, so my real image is better.”

Todd couldn't seem to get rid of his grin.

“Well if you like it... but that mustache, yo... ya look like some creepy porn star or somethin'!”

Kurt grinned back.

“Vell at least I don't look like a mean biker who needs expensive soap for his delicate skin.”

Just to underline the joke, he pranced a few steps with very loose wrists and made his voice brighter. Time for fun or not, that called for retaliation!

“Hmpf! Comin' from the snorin' gecko.”

Kurt put on a mock offended face.

“Snoring? Me?! I certainly do not! You must have been dreaming!”

“I do believe YOU were the one dreamin', since I heard you snorin' for hours!”

Just as Todd felt his mood was light for the first time in years, Kurt's induced face settled in a warm smile and made him slightly uncomfortable. He averted his eyes and finished his cigarette.

“So uhm... I'll just go grab some stuff and we're off.”

Kurt just nodded and sat by the open door, while he gathered a few things in a duffel bag and they left the small apartment within minutes.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Onwards.